Fantasy Football: Can Hakeem Nicks Rebound in 2014?

The 2013 NFL season did not go as planned for the New York Giants. The team was hoping that wide receiver Hakeem Nicks would bounce back from a less than stellar 2012 campaign.

In 2013, Nicks played in 15 games and caught 56 passes for 896 yards and no touchdowns. The Giants had many more offensive problems than just Nicks, the offensive line was terrible and Eli Manning became a turnover machine. Nicks is an impending free agent and the chances are very high that he won’t be re-signing with the Giants. Other NFL teams have taken note of his disinterested attitude this past season. However, it appears likely that some team will be willing to take a chance on him for the 2014 season.

So what are the chances that Hakeem Nicks starts fresh with a new team and becomes the 1,000 yard per season receiver we saw a few years ago? Some of the issues that surrounded Nicks when he struggled this season weren’t all his fault. All season long, it appeared Eli Manning had the ability to suck the life out of his receivers’ fantasy value. Even an elite wide receiver like Victor Cruz posted average fantasy numbers this season. Injuries were another major problem for Nicks as he was plagued by constant niggling injuries.

Heading into 2014, a change of scenery might be the best thing for the struggling wide receiver. With a new quarterback throwing him the ball and an attitude adjustment, Nicks could be back on the right track towards being a trusted fantasy option. His underwhelming play and noted attitude issues will probably mean he won’t secure a high paying long-term deal, so he shouldn’t garner a lot of hype going into the fantasy draft. Many fantasy owners will try to avoid Nicks at all costs considering the problems he’s had recently. He should be considered someone worth gambling on with a late-round pick. There is a possibility he may even go undrafted, if that is the case then owners should look to pick him up off the waiver wire very early in the season.